Conventionally known is a method of producing 2,2-difluoroacetaldehyde by reduction of an α,α-difluoroacetate with a hydride reduction agent such as lithium aluminum hydride (see Non-Patent Document 1). On the other hand, the present applicant has filed a patent application on a relevant technique for producing α,α-difluoroacetaldehyde by partial reduction of an α,α-difluoroacetate in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst (see Patent Document 1).
It has further been reported that a ruthenium catalyst used in the present invention is applicable for reduction of esters to alcohols (see Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 2).